The longest continuous sporting event in Australia is the Australia Day Regatta in the harbour side city of Geelong Victoria. This year the 151st regatta boasted 300 entries from the Grand Prix TP52 Sydney to Hobart winners, to possibly the smallest boats, our J24’s.
Flags and fun at Geelong
Bruschetta VI heads towards Geelong
Veteran Sailor – Mr J24 himself
Tying up boats
Party people
Party fun
Four Sandringham J’s sailed the 35 nautical mile distance race across Port Phillip Bay from Melbourne to Geelong, finishing approximately half way through the fleet despite their size. Two of our competitors represented Australia at the 2018 worlds in Italy, the other two were new comers to the class with an additional two J’s from Geelong with a Malaysian charter crew, joining us when we arrived for the Sunday twilight race. Most of the crews slept on the boats over the three days, rafted up together and sharing stories and drinks.
Sailing a performance handicap in the ‘Passage and Twilight’ series, the new guys took it right up to the more experienced crews finishing 2nd and 4th. Once we arrived in Geelong the party began, with great music and a carnival atmosphere which lasted till Monday morning when we sleepily slipped anchor and cruised back home.
Top J was Jet, Scrumpy second and Bruschetta VI third and Sanguine fourth. Racing was intense as always, and everyone vowed to come back next year, hopefully with more J’s joining us.
Here is a February 2019 background featuring another great Luis Ferreiro pic from the 2018 Nationals. To set as your background, click on the pic above and then right click to set it as your background.
If anyone has any very good pics from the 2019 Nationals you would be happy to have me use for backgrounds, please send them to me.
Congratulations to Brendan Lee and his crew on his Nationals win.
Here is a precis of the champs from Brendan’s point of view.
“After some confusion as to whether the 2019 J24 National Championships would be held in Adelaide or not, the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia got behind the J24 class and hosted the championships from the 3rd to the 6th of January 2019.
Whilst down on entrants from previous years the competition was just as fierce. A special thank you to the 10 crews that travelled from NSW and Victoria.
Twelve races were scheduled over 4 days of racing with the first discard coming in after race 8 and the second after race 10.
Day 1 and with a forecast top of 41 degrees, race management decided to put up the “AP” and keep the fleet in the shade until the sea breeze kicked in. Race 1 eventually got underway in about 6 knots of wind with the official sea breeze announcing itself part way up the 3rd leg with a massive starboard lift. Those that decided to go to the left gate and out to sea prospered. Those that did not, paid a hefty price, except for “Team El Fideldo” who charged out to sea and picked up the generous lift to record a bullet in Race 1.
If anyone was watching from the shore they would have been curious as to why there was often someone hanging over the back of the boats. This was to rid seagrass from the rudder. Unfortunately arms were not long enough so it was just a case of putting up with it and assuming that everyone was “in the same boat” so to speak. As for the keel, well there was little that could be done other than sailing backwards which would not only have been costly but likely pointless as it would have just been a matter of time until more accumulated. I understand “Wildfire” did infact execute the backwards move mid race. The following morning a number of brooms showed up on various boats with “Vice Versa” and “By The Lee” targeting the same Bunnings at the same time.
With the first race out of the way and hopefully an early discard, the hammer went down and “By The Lee” picked up Race 2.
Race 3 and it was “Stamped Urgent” recording the win, successfully defending off “By The Lee” which at times were just 4cm behind and doing everything possible to get by. A shoulda-coulda moment for sure. J24 One Design sailing at its best!
By the end of Day 1 and with 3 races sailed it was “Stamped Urgent” showing the way on 7 points with “Tinto” and “Two Dogs” on 10 points and “By The Lee” lying 4th on 11 points.
Following the day’s racing, it was the usual stories and banter about what coulda and shoulda been enjoyed over a BBQ put on by the South Australian Association. Thank you to Jim and Robyn for bringing it all together and Andrew and others for doing the cooking in almost 40 degree heat.
Sponsors “Dog Ridge Wines” joined the party by giving away 60 bottles of Rosé to be handed out to the top 3 places on ‘One Design’ and ‘PHS’ for each race and a new Genoa from Peter Stevens, representing a new Chinese Manufacturer “Loong Sails” for the median placed PHS boat overall.
Day 2 and the forecast Strong Wind Warning was spot on. St Vincent’s Gulf was recording in excess of 25 knots. With no wind abatement in sight, race management called off the day and after just 3 races the fleet was rewarded with a lay day. Some chose to go to the wineries and others decided to race go-carts to blow off the adrenaline built up from Day 1. All in all it was in fact a great J24 community day with many teams coming together and having fun.
Day 3 and the wind had moderated to 12-15 knots. Race 4 was set in at 0.6nm, however I think the race officer underestimated the speed of a J24 and subsequently set Race 5 at 0.8nm and Race 6 & 7 at 1.0nm. With a big incoming tide the upwind legs on the last race was seriously hard work.
Race 4 and 6 were taken out by “By The Lee” with “Stamped Urgent” picking up Race 5 and their second win.
Onto race 7 and the final race of the day and it was a new boat at the top “Wildfire” which I think started a few minutes ahead of the rest as this is how it ended up. I think Ron and the team were in the bar by the time the second boat crossed the line. Well done!
So at the end of Day 3 it was “By The Lee” and “Tinto” at the top on 20 points with “Stamped Urgent” just 6 points behind.
With Day 2 being blown out, race management decided to get things underway an hour early on the final day so the stage was set for a 10am start and up to 4 races scheduled. The championship was far from decided.
Day 4 and “By The Lee” knew what they needed to do….stay ahead of “Tinto” in every race. Race 8 got underway in about 8 knots of breeze it was “By The Lee” rounding the top mark in first place with “Tinto” a few places back. However in true Steve Wright style the competition was picked apart and in the end it was “By The Lee” followed by “Tinto” in second. With 8 races sailed the first discard came into play and the finishing positions were starting to take shape with “Stamped Urgent”, “Wildfire” and “Two Dogs” all eyeing out a podium finish.
Race 9 and it was “By The Lee” first at the top mark however this was short lived after a massive spinnaker wrap which took a full 3 minutes to come free allowed “Tinto” and “Vice Versa” to sail through. With “By The Lee” going toe to toe with “Tinto” for the entire regatta any placings between the two was huge so in this case it was +2 to “Tinto”.
Race 10 and “By The Lee” had “Tinto” sucking dirty air off the line, however a short tack out to sea and back over to starboard saw “Tinto” cross the fleet which left “By The Lee” wondering what the hell just happened. “Tinto” recorded their second win and once again the gap narrowed by a further 2 points with “By The Lee” coming home in 3rd.
With 10 races sailed and the second discard now in place it was a showdown in the last race with just a two point spread between first and second place. A good upwind leg on Race 11 saw “By The Lee” round the top mark first with “Wildfire” hot on their heals. “Tinto” was a bit further back, but again this was short lived. Another less than ideal spinnaker launch saw “Wildfire” sail over “By The Lee”.
With a close eye on “Tinto”, defensive mode kicked in. “Wildfire” extended their lead and the fleet closed in on “By The Lee” with both “Tinto” and “Stamped Urgent” getting past. Provided the gap was no more than 3 placings and a result of 5th or better, “By The Lee” was okay.
The next thing I saw was “Tinto” doing a gybe upwind which I later understood was as a result of contact being made with “Stamped Urgent”. With a generous port lift, “By The Lee” crossed ahead of “Stamped Urgent” and as a result of the penalty, “Tinto” was back in 6th.
At the end it was “Wildfire” recording their second win, “By The Lee” coming home in second place and securing the championship with “Stamped Urgent” crossing the line in 3rd which also resulted in being awarded 3rd overall by one point over “Wildfire”. A very consistent effort across the 11 races saw “Tinto” drop their 6th place finishing second just 3 points behind “By The Lee”.
And so it was onto to the prize giving with a traditional dinner overlooking the beautiful North Haven Marina. The last few bottles of Rosé were handed out and the winner of the Genoa was awarded to Jack Fullerton on “Two Dogs” who sailed an excellent regatta finishing 5th overall, just five points off the podium.
After 7 attempts, it was Brendan Lee, Rory Groves, Dan Cave, Peter Lee and Keren Reynolds on “By The Lee” picking up their first National Championships.
In usual J24 style, the night went on with plenty of laughter and cheer. The 2019 championships was a great success. A special thank you to the CYCSA, J24 SA organisers and volunteers and to the sponsors “Dog Ridge Wines” and “Loong Sails” for their support.
We look forward to seeing you at the Victorian Championships regatta in Victoria being held on the 30th and 31st of March 2019.”
Thanks to Brendan Lee for his story.
If you would like to contribute a story about the Nationals or pictures, please send it to me so I can publish it for you.
Here is a January 2019 background featuring another great Luis Ferreiro pic from the 2018 Nationals. To set as your background, click on the pic above and then right click to set it as your background.
Here is a December background featuring another great Luis Ferreiro pic from the 2018 Nationals. To set as your background, click on the pic above and then right click to set it as your background.
The 2019 Nationals will be held at the CYCSA in Adelaide with the 2nd as a set up, measurement and register day, racing is from 3 – 6 January.
Jim Townsend is known for his off water party catering with the delights of SA’s wine and food available at previous BBQs, so the social side of the regatta will be as much fun as the great Adelaide sailing.
Interest in the regatta is starting to snowball and already we have an expected fleet size of around 15 boats with several from Sydney Harbour, a possible 4 from the South Sydney Fleet and a possible 6 entries from Melbourne, plus the local entries.
‘Me Too Two’ is for sale, a bargain buy for summer at just $7500 or near offer.
Get your self into a cheap J24 at this rock bottom price. Ok it’s not the top racing J24 in Oz but a sound hull and rig with club sails, plus extras. Start here in the class on your way to class competition or …
Fancy a J24 cruiser down on the lakes – this boat has the second middle lifeline, full pulpit and pushpit, adjustable outboard bracket, removable stainless anchoring bow guide. Includes an excellent condition Honda 4-Stroke outboard, refurbished interior, all deck gear, standing and running rigging in good order.
Cronulla Sailing Club in partnership with the J24 Southern Sydney Fleet again hosted the NSW State Championships in the water of Bate Bay.
Saturday came with the crew briefing lead by starter Bruce Swane, laying down the law and setting the scene for what was to come, two days of exciting, frustrating but most of all enjoyable and friendly One-Design racing.
Race 1 got underway in a steady though light 8 kt easterly shooting out from Shark Island into Bate Bay. Twelve J24s headed out, popping spinnakers and heading into Cronulla only for half the fleet to be becalmed at the bottom mark and the leaders TINTO (S Wright) and INNAMINCKA (J Crawford) streaking ahead on the breeze. However, the wind returned with TINTO first followed by INNAMINCKA in second and WATERBORNE AGAIN (B Lee) in third.
Race 2 and the cream began to rise. Sean Kirkjian driving KAOTIC, past multiple Australian and NSW Champion came in first followed by TINTO and the forever young Cronulla local David Mckay in STAMPED URGENT.
The race committee then began the search for the elusive wind…… AP flew and the fleet began the race into the Club house for some stories of where’d the wind go followed by some great BBQ delights! And to enjoy the $500 bar tab supplied by the Harbour Fleet. (Also, on Sunday night!!) Cheers!!!
Sunday arrived with an increasing North Easterly race 3 and all bar one went with the Genoa however that changed. Brenden Lee from Sandringham Yacht Club took race 3 followed by KAOTIC and ACE (D West).
All under Jib in race 4 and again the man from Sandringham driving WATERBORNE AGAIN came first VORTEX (C Lee) in second and STAMPED URGENT made up the podium. Special mentions go to the team on JARGON (J Macquart) making the most of the one design nature of a J24, flying his kite sideways to take advantage of the blustery NE summer breeze!!
Race 5 and KAOTIC returned to the top spot, ACE in second and WATERBORNE AGAIN in third, the title was to be decided in the final race.
With the course reset into the estuary the results of Race 6 where to reflect the final overall result. KAOTIC in First followed by WATERBORNE AGAIN and TINTO following.
Congratulations to Sean Kirkjian and his crew on KAOTIC, NSW Champion 2018, in front of Brenden Lee from Sandringham on count back, and Steve Wright from the Cronulla Sailing Club in third.
Performance results saw VORTEX skippered by Chris Lee, making a return to One Design racing in first, followed by KAOTIC and in third WATERBORNE AGAIN.
Cronulla SC and the J24 Fleet of Southern Sydney would like to thank all the sponsors, Spot-A-Yacht photography, My Sail Team management, Macquart Marine, Wet Tech Rigging and Infinity Rigging.
J24SSF would also like to thank the team of volunteers at Cronulla Sailing Club, making this Championship one of the best to date:
Start Boat – Bruce Swane, Dave Witten, Elenore Turner, Peter Conway,
Mark Boats – Bucko, Tim MacGillvray, Jack MacGillvray, Glenn Smith, Howard Blowes, Geoff Batty, John Minter
Results – Michael Druce
Fuel – Steve Blackman
Registration – Rhonda Wodzinski
Refreshments – John Cox
Kitchen – Kerry and Brian Elliot, Tammie Edwards, Billy Neill, Chris Merfield
Food Co-ord – John Zagame
Accommodation – Magoo, Fiona, Mick, John Cox
J24 Harbour Fleet – $500 bar tab both Saturday and Sunday night plus wine gifts for all the CSC volunteers.
From the cooks on the BBQ to the servers behind the line, the on-water crew moving marks and setting courses to the results team getting everything online quickly and efficiently, thank you.
The next J24 regatta is the 2019 Australian Titles, hosted in Adelaide at the CYCSA 3-6 Jan 2019.
Pictures to come shortly from our sponsor Spot-A-Yacht
